Texas Rangers Blog

Rangers considering Venezuelan options in wake of player kidnapping

After Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped at gunpoint in Venezuela on Wednesday night, the Rangers have begun considering the possibility of taking extra safety steps for their players in the winter league there.

GM Jon Daniels said the Rangers are in the process of reviewing the situation and will coordinate with Major League Baseball before taking any action.

The Rangers currently have six players participating in the Venezuelan Winter League, headlined by top pitching prospect Tanner Scheppers. The kidnapping of Ramos took place in Valencia, the town in Venezuela where Scheppers Magallanes team is based. Minor League outfielder Joey Butler is also playing for the same team.

The Rangers have six players in total playing in the Venezuelan winter league, all of them minor leaguers. They also have a number of players who call Venezuela home, including shortstop Elvis Andrus and minor league pitching prospect Martin Perez. Andrus is from Maracay and Perez is from Guanare Estado Portuquesa.

Venezuela has been rocked by attempts at kidnapping families of major league players in the past. In 2009, the son of Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba, then with Colorado, was kidnapped and was only recovered after a high ransom was paid. Torrealba has since moved to South Florida.